Imperforate bowl centrifugal separators generally employ a skimmer pipe to remove the remaining liquid at the end of a separation cycle prior to the solids discharge. This method of liquid removal suffers a number of problems. The boundary between the liquid and solids is unknown and variable so that it is difficult to remove all the liquid without removing some solids and contaminating the liquid with those solids. In addition the skimmer pipe can become plugged, is subject to high abrasion and wear from the solids, and can be damaged by excessive contact with the solids. To avoid these problems skimming is arrested short of contacting the solids but this leaves some liquid in the bowl which then contaminates the solids being discharged. A separate problem that occurs in such centrifuges is that centrate sprays or splashes out of the bowl during the separation cycle and falls into the solids collector where it contaminates the discharged solids.